Leadership Forum Focuses on Social Inclusion

Jewish Care Victoria’s Jewish Advisory Committee (JAC) held its first Jewish Community Leadership Forum last Tuesday, October 28, at the Glen Eira Town Hall Auditorium, with over 70 participants, including leaders from various Jewish, social and political organisations, youth movements, schools and shules in attendance.

The JAC’s main aim is to create awareness on issues of concern and challenge to the community through discussion, research and facilitation of such forums. The forum’s first topic was to discuss and workshop ‘Disability Inclusion in the Victorian Jewish Community’.

“As community leaders, it is essential for us to consider how we can actively promote the inclusion of Jewish people with disability in employment and community life, and effect long-term, lasting change. As well as helping those living with disability, it is important to consider all the other people in our community impacted – parents, carers, siblings and other family and community members”, said Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant, Chair of the Committee and Jewish Care’s General Manager Cultural and Spiritual Services.

The program included an opening address by Social Inclusion Leadership Committee (SILC) Chair, David Southwick MP, and an address from Jewish Care management, staff, client and family member, as well as keynote speaker, Dr Stella Koritsas, Head of Strategic Research at SCOPE.

Dr Koritsas shared a research survey analysis of people with a disability and how they felt they were included and whether their needs were being met in their community and society at large. She highlighted areas of concern and these were discussed in light of our Jewish community looking at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. From this SWOT analysis, a facilitated discussion was then held to ascertain our community’s needs and outcomes for each Jewish organisation, and on how leaders can work to better include people with disability in communal and social life.

These outcomes will be presented by Rabbi Kluwgant to the SILC at its next sitting.

The next forum will be a full community forum on Healthy Families, with Michael Carr-Gregg facilitating the event.